Trump‑backed Randy Feenstra loses Iowa gubernatorial primary
A candidate hoping to run for governor in the US state of Iowa has lost the closely watched primary contest, despite receiving the backing of Donald Trump.
Randy Feenstra, a five‑term Iowa congressman seen by many as frontrunner, conceded the race on Tuesday after a late endorsement from the former president. The endorsement came just before the vote, but the voters turned to farmer and businessman Zach Lahn, who campaigned on a distinctly Trump‑oriented platform with slogans such as "Make Iowa Healthy Again" and "Iowa first".
Lahn pushed limits on foreign and out‑of‑state ownership of Iowa land and railed against "global elites". He attracted the backing of Turning Point USA, the conservative group founded by the late Charlie Kirk, and grassroots conservatives who viewed Feenstra as too aligned with Washington.
Trump, meanwhile, has largely stayed out of sight over the past week, with most of his activities limited to pre‑recorded interviews and posts on a satirical platform. His administration has also dropped plans for a $1.8 billion "anti‑weaponisation" fund that would have compensated individuals targeted by former administrations.
The Feenstra loss adds to a trend where Trump’s endorsements are no longer a sure ticket to victory. Several Republican incumbents in Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas have been unseated by challengers with the former president’s backing in recent weeks.
The outcome in Iowa may be a sign of the appalling impact of Trump’s trade tariffs and the complications of the US‑Israeli‑Iranian conflict, which have raised farmers’ costs and the state's economic conditions. A recent YouGov/Economist poll shows Trump’s net approval rating in Iowa at -20%.
With Lahn now the Republican nominee, the November gubernatorial race becomes a key–to Democratic hopes for a flip. He will face Democratic State Auditor Rob Sand. Republicans are also eyeing the Senate seat vacated by Joni Ernst, where Josh Turek, a Democrat‑supported centrist, won the primary and will contest Republican Ashley Hinson.
Even though Texas grabs much national attention, the real battleground for Democrats in November may lie in Iowa's cornfields – a state that, once reliably blue, has turned red in recent elections. This primetime shift warrants close monitoring of the Hawkeye State.
